located in the inner city of milwaukee, wisconsin, united states, the community center follow the european football stadium approach, which seeks to bring patrons in even when the community is not using it by including different uses such as retail, restaurants, conference rooms, classrooms, library, offices. for this purpose, the center houses a computer lab and classrooms to be used by community or to be rented, offices and meeting rooms for rent, a large, multipurpose room for community gatherings, movies screening, theater, art exhibitions. a basketball court and an activity room with billiards, videogames, televisions for children and teenagers are also included.
to sustain the needs and ambitions of the larger community, the center establishes a variety of local amenities, such as multi-purpose gym for fitness activities, a daycare center and a kitchen.
the proximity to major public transportation and the integration of a bus stop/station within the facility, make the center transportation oriented.
it is these collective spaces that link people, allowing for social interaction and engagement.
to address sustainability issues, the center implements a number of elements that make it a sustainable, environmentally conscious building: green roofs, community gardens for local people to grow vegetables, operable windows and doors to take advantage of natural air and maximize connection to outdoor spaces. the main multipurpose room utilizes operable, exterior walls that open to the courtyard for outdoor activities and meetings. additionally, renewable, local/salvaged materials are implemented.
the dynamic influences of the context were used in the generation of the forms, while the control of the rooms sequence and their organic flow generated functional patterns.
the building expresses the neighborhood and the diversity of the community through its angular geometry, a variety of forms, materials and colors, while also expressing the commitment to context, art and the social and the idea of architecture as promoter of community values.

2009

riccardo liotta
kristine liotta